Editors' Top Reads: News from Gymshark, Mr Porter, LFW and more...
Here are some of this week’s news and features highlights handpicked by TheIndustry.fashion team.
Gymshark's Ben Francis: 2024 is going to be our "biggest ever year"
If you're trying to get into a more positive mindset in 2024, then have a read of this latest statement of confidence from Gymshark's indefatigable founder Ben Francis. His fast-growing gymwear brand filed its 2023 numbers at Companies House this week, showing a 15% uplift in sales to £556 million. Instead of just quietly making the filing and moving on like most companies do, Francis seized the moment to let us know how 2024 was going to be even better, in fact it's going to be the best yet, he says.
Having moved into physical retail just over a year ago, he has another store planned this year at Westfield Stratford, plus there will be a maiden move into wholesale via a new premium line with Selfridges, plus he's opening a 12-month pop-up in Manhattan, plus he's planning to expand into Dubai and the wider Middle East region, plus he's announced the most ambitious community events programme yet. Plus, I imagine, he will continue to spend a fair amount of time working out (and no doubt eating and drinking all the right things and getting enough sleep).
The mere mortals among us might want to set more realistic targets but if he can inspire us to reach just that little bit further than we might have then 2024 might be better year for all us (maybe even our best yet too!).
Lauretta Roberts, Co-founder, CEO and Editor in Chief.
40 Years of LFW: The runway shows that cemented stardom
This week saw London Fashion Week's Autumn Winter 2024 season come to a close. But this wasn't just any old LFW, it was the 40th anniversary. 40 years ago, the fashion industry changed for the better. In March 1984, the British Designer Show commenced at Olympia, which was the first example of a womenswear fashion event having a cohesive industry-focus with the exhibition, catwalk shows and social activities all being coordinated.
Who doesn't love the feeling of nostalgia, especially when it comes to reminiscing about Vivienne Westwood and Alexander McQueen's hayday? In honour of London Fashion Week's anniversary, TheIndustry.fashion took a retrospective look at some of the most iconic and nostalgic moments in London Fashion Week's 40-year history.
Chloé Burney, Senior News & Features Writer.
In My View by Eric Musgrave: Thanks for showing up at the shows
Having been buoyed by the optimism from Gymshark's Ben Francis this week, I was somewhat brought down to earth by the latest wise words from our columnist Eric Musgrave. But he made me laugh at the same time, so I can forgive him.
Eric has spent a good deal of time walking the halls of fashion trade shows in recent weeks and chatting to brands and, mostly independent, retailers on how they are feeling about trade right now (there are links in his latest column to some of the trade show features, they are worth a read for the retailer comments, even if these aren't shows you would normally visit). Consensus is 2024 will be another tough one and, as Eric points out, it does seem almost cruel that being a leap year we have another day of it to endure than we did in 2023.
That being said though, there are differences this year in that we may (or may not) have kinder weather, the Euros football tournament could provide some much-needed feel good and, likely in the autumn, we will have a General Election, and whatever the result of that, we usually experience and post-election economic boost. Even if the options in front of us aren't exactly mood-boosting.
Lauretta Roberts, Co-founder, CEO and Editor in Chief.
London Fashion Week AW24 Highlights: Simon Holloway’s debut Dunhill collection
It was great to see some high end men’s tailoring from Dunhill making a real statement at a runway show at the National Portrait Gallery, in what was a predominantly womenswear focused London Fashion Week.
Bringing us the "new codes of British style" with its first runway show since pre-pandemic 2020, and the debut collection from designer Simon Holloway, Dunhill really has some very sharp pieces for AW24, with "refined" and "indulgent" being a real focus, which makes for a welcome change.
There was a total of 41 looks in what was described as "a sophisticated portrayal of Dunhill’s 130-year heritage". As a starting point, Holloway turned to the house archives and its tailoring expertise and pedigree in dressing the likes of Truman Capote and Frank Sinatra.
Archival house pieces and the golden era of Hollywood style influence the collection that is described as "rich, masculine, and unashamedly elegant". Bravo.
Tom Bottomley, Contributing Editor.
Mr Porter launches virtual try-on for own brand label
Returns are a massive issue in fashion and a problem that could be mitigated at the point of sale. Businesses need to help consumers make the right choice straight away, leveraging data and digital solutions to encourage shoppers to buy correctly the first time.
This week, Mr Porter launched a six-month trial for its first-ever virtual try-on experience, with a 3D avatar that "realistically mirrors" customer measurements. It allows customers to more accurately visualise how a garment will fit and look on them, helping to reduce the returns rate across the brand's own Mr P. label.
The technology is designed to "support growing consumer appetite for more conscious shopping", as 90% of Yoox Net-A-Porter customers say they favour retailers that help them reduce returns, and 83% are trying to shop more intentionally to avoid sending items back. Let's hope this new initiative extends beyond the trial and that other brands are taking note for the sake of their businesses and the planet.
Sophie Smith, News Editor & Senior Writer.
